Tobacco-drying apparatus



J. B. MUSE TOBACCO DRYING APPARATUS Nov. 24, 1925.

Filed Jan. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 24, 1925. 1,563,312

. J. B. MUSE TOBACCO DRYING APPARATUS Filfl 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W7 IINVENTOR. r J'obn B. Muse.

Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES JOHN BIRT MUSE, OIF CAMERON, NORTH CAROLINA.

TOBACCO-DRYING APPARATUS.

Application filed Janu y 25, 924. Serial No. 688,508.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. Muse, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cameron, in the county of Moore and State of North Carolina,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tobacco- DryingApparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a tobacco drying apparatus, and the object ofthe invention is the construction of a comparatively simple andefficient heating apparatus to be placed in a building for dryingtobacco.

Another object of the invention is the improvement of the constructionof the fuel- .burning part of the apparatus, whereby a very efficientheating of the tobacco-containing building can be accomplished. 7

1th the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention comprisescertain novel -combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts aswill be hereinafter dedescribed, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: 1

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus constructed inaccordancewith the present invention, looking at the rear end thereof, while Fie'ure 2 is a lOIlQltllCllIlfll, central, sectional view of the same.

Figure 3 is a view, in elevation, of the front of the apparatus.

Figure 1 is a sectional view. taken on line 4-4, Fig. 2, and looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 ista perspective view of the rear end or back of the apparatus.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the gratesupporting device.

' Figure 7 is a diagramofa building to hold tobacco to be dried, showingmy apparatus in position therei r Figure 8 is a perspective view of apipe supporting ClGVlCG.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates the outer casing and2 the inner casing of my apparatus. The outer casing 1 rests upon theouter edge 3 of the front end 4' and the back end 5 of the apparatus,whereas both the front and back ends are provided with a shoulderportion 6 (Fig. 5) upon which rests the corrugated inner casing 2 (Fig.The inner casing 2 is cor.-

rugated transversely to provide a greater radiating surface whichincreases the efliciency of my drying apparatus by reason of a greateramount of heat being given off, to pass into the building 7 (Fig. 7).

The front end 4: of the apparatus is provided with a fuel door 8 and aclean-out or ash door 9, Fig. 3.

The rear back end 5 is provided with two openings 10 (Fig. 5) into whichextend the tubes or flues 11. On each tube 11, near end 5, I placemanually operated valve devices 12 (Fig. 7), whereby the amount of heatpassing. from the furnace into either one of the tubes can becontrolled. For instance, if I want all of the heat and smoke to passthrough one tube 11, by closing the valve device on the other tube it isobvious that this can be accomplished. Further, if only one part of thebuilding is filled with tobacco, and I desire to have all of the smokepass through the tube in the filled portion of the building then thiscan be done by closing the valve device on the tube in the unfilledportion of said building.

I provide a plurality of apertured heatconveying tubes 13, extendingfrom the upper portion of the end 5 (Figs. 1, 2. and 7). These pipes ortubes 13 can be of varying length, as clearly indicated in Fig. 7, andare detachably mounted at their inner ends in end 5. To suitably supportthese tubes 1 provide a pipe supporting device 14 (Fig. 8) which can bestuck into the ground at any desired point, making a easily handled andyet very efficient device for supporting the outer end of a tube 13.

The bottom structure of my apparatus includes grate bars 15 supported atone end upon an angle iron 16, and at their other end (Fig. 2) upon thehorizontal flange 17 of the grate supporting device 18. This gratesupporting device 18 is cut or formed from a single piece of metal andcomprises a horizontal base 19 provided with upstanding sides 20, and anupstanding back 21, which back 21 terminates at its upper edge in adownwardly-extending portion 22. In-

tegral with the lower edge of portion 22 is a horizontal flange 17 uponwhich one end of the grate rests (Figs. 6 and 8).

I- provide a damper device which includes a damper plate 23, and plate23 is provided with stub shafts 2d that extend through the sides of theinner casing 2 (Fig. 4). An op- .erating rod 25 extends through thefront end 4:, and; this rod is provided with notches 26 for holding itin an adjusted position. The rod is connected at its inner end to acrank arm 27 and the crank arm is fixedly connected to the outer end ofone of the stub shafts 2% (Fig. 1), whereby when the operator operatesrod 25 the damper plate 23 can be swung forward or backward, as shown bydotted and full lines in Fig. 2, to control the free burning of the fuelon the grate bars 15, whereby the amount of heat derived from myapparatus can-be controlled by the operator. For instance, when thedamper plate 23, is in the dotted position shown in Fig. 2 the fire willbe burning "freely allowing a quick passage over the damper plate andthen into the tubes 11, whereas when the damper plate is in the positionshown by full lines in Fig. 2, the free burning will be greatly retardedthereby causing the fire to burn slowly, consequently reducing theamount of heat created for the building 7.

It is to be noted that the position of the damper plate right back ofthe portion acts as an eiiicient brace or loci; for preventing the back21 from spreading apart, thereby preventing the grate bars 15 from dr pping out of place.

I provide a valve plate 28 to cover the I vent opening 29, in the sideof the outer casing 1.

It is to be understood that the tubes 13 open into the compartment 30formed between the inner and outer casings, and thereby permit onlytheheatedoair to pass into the building 7'. i

.ty improved drying apparatus saves one days time in each curing abovethe, old methods; it: saves fifty percent oi the, fuel; tobacco is curedout more uniformly, retaining more oil, and more uniform bright color.fifty apparatus minimizes the possibility of fire, owing to its compactand substantial construction.

While I have described the preferred embodiment, of my invention, andhave illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, certain minorchanges or alterations may appear to one skilled in theart, to. whichthis invention relates, during the extensive manufacture of the same andI, therefore, reserve the right to make such alterations or changes asshall fairly fall within, the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with an innerand an outer casing, of a grate within said, inner casing, supportingmeans for the forward end of the grate, a support for the rear'end ofthe grate, a damper plate positioned in the inner casing and having apivot rod journalled in the side walls of the inner casing, said pivotrod being positioned contiguous to the; support. for the rear end ofsaid grate and preventing movement of the support out of engagement withthe grate, a crank arm between said inner and outer casings and fixedlyconnected to said damper plate, and an operating rod extending beyondthe outer face of said inherand outer casings and positioned alsobetween the same and connected atits inner end to said crank arm.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of acasing, a grate in said casing, a support for the forward end of saidgratecarried by said casing, a support for the rear end of said gratepositioned in said casing, and a damper plate, and a rod mounting thedamper plate in said casing to the rear of the support for the rear endof said grate and serving to retain the support in operativeengagementwith the grate.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with acasing, of a grate supporting device provided with a horizontal flange.within said casing, a grate supported at one end upon said flange,damper means in said casing, a pivot rod for said damper meanspositioned in close proximity to the grate supporting device andretaining the same in place with its flange extending beneath saidgrate, and means in said casing for supportingthe other end of saidgrate.

1-. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with acasing, of a grate supporting device within said casing, said. gratesupporting device provided with an upstanding back having a' gratesupporting flange, a damper plate insaid casing, a pivot rod for saiddamper plate tovthe rear of the upstanding back and preventing"rearward. movement" thereof, a grate resting at one end upon saidflange, and means in said casing for supporting the other end of saidgrate.

5. In an apparatus of the class described. the combination with acasing,of a grate supporting device in said casing, said device provided, withan upstanding back provided on one side with a grate supporting flange,a damper-device in said casing, a pivot rod for said damper disposed onthe other side of said upstandingback from said grate and serving tohold the back in a fixed position, a grate supported at one end uponsaid flange, and means in said casing for supporting the other end ofsaid grate.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature.

JOHN BIRT MUSE.

